A new permanent memorial dedicated to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda was unveiled on Tuesday, June 2, in Paris.

The monument was inaugurated by President Paul Kagame and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in an event attended by government officials, Genocide survivors and members of the Rwandan community.

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Located in a prominent area of Paris

The memorial stands on the Habib-Bourguiba Esplanade overlooking the Seine River, near the Eiffel Tower, one of the most visited areas of the French capital.

The location that attracts both residents and international visitors, ensuring that the memory of the Genocide against the Tutsi remains visible to a wide audience.

The monument serves as a place of remembrance for the more than one million men, women, and children who were killed during the Genocide.

Artwork inspired by Rwandan heritage

The project was launched jointly by the French State and the City of Paris following years of advocacy by Genocide survivors&039; organizations, including Ibuka France. The memorial was commissioned through a public competition and received support from French cultural authorities.

Renowned Portuguese artist Grada Kilomba designed the memorial.

The artwork consists of two black brass monoliths mounted on a lava-stone platform inspired by Rwandan traditional Imigongo designs.

According to Kilomba, her original concept involved a more figurative representation. However, after visiting Rwanda and meeting survivors and descendants of victims, she opted for a minimalist design.

She explained that abstraction would better convey the scale of the tragedy while respecting the dignity of those affected.

Symbolism behind the design

According to Kilomba, the lava-stone platform beneath the memorial was designed to evoke a fragment of Rwandan soil in the heart of Paris.

Visitors are invited to walk across it and reflect on the lives lost, the resilience of survivors, and the collective responsibility to prevent future atrocities.

The space between the two monoliths also carries symbolic meaning. For many observers, it represents the absence left by those who were killed, while simultaneously creating a space for dialogue, remembrance, and reflection.

More than three decades after the Genocide against the Tutsi, the memorial stands as a lasting reminder of the need to honour victims, support survivors, and ensure that the lessons of 1994 are never forgotten.

Messages on the two steles

Inscribed on the memorial are messages honouring the memories, voices, experiences, and hopes of victims and survivors.

The inscriptions appear in four languages, French, English, Kinyarwanda, and Swahili.

A QR code will also be added to provide visitors with additional information about the Genocide against the Tutsi and the significance of the memorial. The information will be available in text, audio and visual formats.

Other Rwandan memorial sites highlighted

The names of four Genocide memorial sites, Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi, and Bisesero, are engraved on the structure.

The inclusion of the UNESCO World Heritage Listed memorials symbolically connects the monument in Paris to the sites in Rwanda where the history of the Genocide is preserved, documented, and commemorated.

A milestone in preserving memory

Marcel Kabanda, President of Ibuka France, described the memorial as an important milestone in preserving the memory of victims and educating future generations about the consequences of hatred, division, and genocide.

He emphasized that the memorial has also been entered into the French National Heritage Register (Registre du Patrimoine National Français), granting it state protection and ensuring its preservation for future generations.

A symbol of stronger Rwanda-France relations

The inauguration marked a moment in the evolving relationship between Rwanda and France.

For years, France's role in the lead-up to the Genocide has been the subject of historical and political debate. In 2021, a French commission of historians concluded that France bore "serious and overwhelming responsibilities” in the events that preceded the genocide.

During a visit to Kigali that same year, President Macron acknowledged France's responsibilities in the tragedy.

The inauguration of the memorial also comes at a time Rwanda continues to mark the 32nd commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.